Teachers’ union: No love for Bergeson

The state teachers’ union has officially censured the state’s top education official, mainly because of her continued support for the WASL.

The state teachers’ union says it has lost trust in schools chief Terry Bergeson. (AP)

The Washington Education Association, which represents more than 80,000 teachers and other school employees, held its annual meeting in Spokane this weekend. Members who attended voted to affirm a “loss of trust” in State Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson. She’s running for a fourth term as state superintendent this fall.

Bergeson once served as president of the WEA, but she’s not getting any love from the union lately. It didn’t back her in the last election, and has already endorsed one of her opponents, Richland School District Superintendent Rich Semler, this time around.

There were no vote counts available from the WEA meeting, but spokesman Rich Wood told me Monday that an “overwhelming majority” of the 1,200 delegates there voted for the resolution.

The vote wasn’t a surprise — since March, several local affiliates of the WEA have been considering votes of no confidence in Bergeson, mainly because of her continued support of the test.

Cathy deJong, president of the Auburn Education Association and one of the members who crafted the resolution, said teachers have expressed concerns about the test and its costs for years.